Industrial-scale high power impulse magnetron sputtering of yttria-stabilized zirconia on porous NiO/YSZ fuel cell anodes

• Published in: Surface & coatings technology 2015-11, Vol.281, p.150-156
• Main Authors: Sønderby, Steffen, Christensen, Bjarke H., Almtoft, Klaus P., Nielsen, Lars P., Eklund, Per
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Coatings; Density; Deposition; Electric potential; Fuel cells; HPPMS; Impulses; Physical vapor deposition (PVD); Solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC); Voltage; YSZ; Yttria stabilized zirconia
• ISSN: 0257-8972; 1879-3347
• DOI: 10.1016/j.surfcoat.2015.09.058

Yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) thin films are reactively sputter-deposited by high power impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS) in an industrial setup on porous NiO/YSZ fuel cell anodes. The influence of deposition pressure, cathode peak power density, and substrate bias voltage on the deposition rate and film morphology is studied. It is seen that increasing the deposition pressure from ~370mPa to ~750mPa results in a 64% increase in the deposition rate and denser film. Films are deposited at peak power densities ranging from 0.4kWcm−2 to 1.1kWcm−2. By increasing the peak power density the degree of ionization of both Ar and sputtered metallic species is significantly increased which results in denser films as open column boundaries are removed. The increase in peak power also results in a considerable drop in deposition rate. By combining a peak power density of 0.6kWcm−2 with the application of −180V substrate bias voltage a homogenous and essentially column-free coating can be deposited. These results demonstrate HiPIMS deposition as being capable of producing dense YSZ coatings on porous substrates as needed for solid oxide fuel cell applications. •YSZ thin films are reactively HiPIMS-deposited in an industrial setup on porous NiO/YSZ.•The influence of deposition pressure, power density, and bias is studied.•High peak power density yields denser films but lower deposition rate.•Peak power density of 0.6kWcm−2 and −180V bias yield homogenous column-free coatings.